Mod 6 eyewitness testimony

Memory: specification

• Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony: misleading information, including leading questions and post-event discussion; anxiety

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Without looking do the following:

• Draw a picture of both sides of a 10p coin.

• Write down the name of the person shown on the back of a new £5 note.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• We are often unable to accurately recall details of objects that we use daily.• This is not a major problem as long as we

recognise a 10 pence coin or £5 pound note.• It is a major problem when someone gives

evidence in a court of law about a crime.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Eye witness testimony: the evidence provided in court by a witness of a crime.

• An area of memory research that investigates the accuracy of memory following an accident, crime, or other significant event.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Read the BBC article on eyewitness testimony.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• The accuracy of eyewitness memory can be affected at:

1.The encoding stage: a crime or accident is fast and unexpected. Not all the details are encoded and stored in long term memory.

2.The retrieval stage: research has found that misleading post event information can affect the accuracy of eyewitness memory.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

Elizabeth Loftus

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Research by Elizabeth Loftus has focused on the retrieval stage of eyewitness memory.

• She has conducted research that has demonstrated how memory for events can be changed by later information.

• She has demonstrated how memory is reconstructive: information can be deleted or added every time we remember an event.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Loftus has conducted controlled lab experiments to investigate the effect of key factors on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony:

1.Leading questions2.Post event-discussion

Eyewitness testimony: leading questions

• Leading questions are questions phrased in such a way that they prompt a particular answer.

‘How fast was the white car going when it passed the stop sign?’ ‘How fast was the car going when it passed the stop sign?’

Loftus & Palmer

Eyewitness testimony: leading questions

• Read p.27 & 28 of the memory booklet and complete the key study worksheet.

Memory: post-event discussion

• A discussion between witnesses about a crime or accident after the event.

• This type of discussion may affect the

memory of the witness for the event.

Memory: eyewitness testimony

• Gabbert et al (2003) found evidence that post-event discussion did affect eyewitness testimony and led to inaccurate recall of a crime.

• Read p.28 & 29 of the memory booklet and

complete the key study worksheet.